Two Conditions for Answered Prayer

“If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
John 15:7 (NIV)

What did Jesus mean when He said in John 15:7 (NIV), “If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”  Was this a blank check?

Jesus says there are two conditions for answered prayer in this promise – we must remain in Him, and His words must remain in us. One way we know we are remaining or abiding in Christ is when His words remain in us. This doesn’t mean we must carry around a big Bible wherever we go, but to treasure His words in our hearts. In fact, there are a couple of Greek words for the word “word” in the New Testament. One is “logos,” which relates to the written or recorded Word of God. But Jesus uses a different word for “words” in this passage. He uses the word “rhema,” which pertains more to the revealed word of God. The reference here is not so much to the whole Bible as such, but to the individual scriptures which the Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance for use in time of need. Our responsibility for that to happen is to regularly store the logos or written Word of God in our minds and hearts by reading and prayerfully meditating on it daily.

To help us understand this relationship, Jesus uses a common illustration of a vine and its branches. For the branch to be fruitful, it must remain in the vine.  The life-giving source that produces fruit comes from the vine, not the branch. If the branch is detached, it cannot bear fruit. Jesus said that He was the Vine and we are the branches. If we abide or remain in Him, our lives would be fruitful. While this abiding relationship is natural to the branch and the vine, it must be cultivated in the Christian life. It is not automatic. To remain in Him, His words must remain in us. This brings great joy and intimacy in both the heart of God and our hearts as well! When you begin to cultivate this deeper communion with Christ, you experience intimacy with God! Your prayer life takes on a whole new dimension! Faith becomes dynamic! You begin to see life through His eyes, and your prayers align with His will for you to be fruitful! You can ask for whatever you wish, Jesus said, because the things you wish for will be the very things God desires as well! In verse eight, Jesus said, “This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples.”

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To read this devotional online or catch up on past ones, visit https://kerryshook.org/blog.

Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.